1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to height adjustable stilts in workplace and recreation contexts.
2. Background Information
Many construction activities, such as painting, wallpapering, ceiling texturing, etc., require work performance at heights not reachable by typical workers. Additionally, many professional and recreational activities, such as circus clowns, etc., require performance at elevated heights. In both contexts, professionals and amateurs have struggled with achieving performance at heights unreachable by the person alone. Several methods have been devised to elevate persons from the floor or ground. The problem has been to develop equipment that allows for easy horizontal movement (i.e. walking), is height adjustable, is completely secure in its height adjustment so as to not be vulnerable to catastrophic failures resulting in sudden drop of height, leaves the hands and body free to work, provides stability on flat to moderately rough surfaces, provides shock absorption during movement, is light weight, is portable, fastens securely to the user, is reasonably convenient to mount and dismount, and is cost effective.
Achieving all of the desired aspects in one set of stilts is a difficult task at best. Thus, current solutions typically tradeoff some requirements in favor of others. However, the need for a design that addresses the safety issue of sudden catastrophic drops in height, shock absorption, and the relation of these requirements to cost has gone unfulfilled.
The present invention, as will be described below, incorporates the fact that many amateurs and professionals will not spend large sums of money for the currently available adjust-on-the-fly stilts commonly used by professionals. This is especially true since many users may only need one height setting to be used for extended periods and thus, have no need for the costly option of immediate on-the-fly height adjustment. Additionally, the present invention provides a level of shock absorption for the user, which is an important comfort aspect for users who spend large amounts of time on stilts. Furthermore, the present invention solves the safety problem of failures of elevation mechanisms resulting in sudden catastrophic drops in height and potential injury to the user.